A string trio played as proud families and the new members of National Honor Society walked into the auditorium for the 21st annual induction ceremony.

81 students were inducted into National Honor Society on November 28, 2018 at Long Reach High School. Ms. Schneider described the purpose of the ceremony as a way “to celebrate the new members of NHS into the society and give their families an opportunity to celebrate with them.”

These students had to complete an application, write an essay, and have teacher recommendation forms before they were accepted into the society.

Ms. Schneider and Ms. Dungey both welcomed the families and students before the rest of the ceremony took place.

Current members from the society spoke about the Four Pillars of National Honor Society: scholarship, leadership, service and character. Students lit their associated candle as they explained each pillar’s philosophy:

Scholarship is also what allowed the inductees into National Honor Society. Members are encouraged to apply their learnings to everyday life.

Leadership is “not a quality but a trait.” The price for leadership is sacrifice.

Service is willing to work for those in needs without any recognition.

Character is what distinguishes one person from another and it guides one through life.

While their bios were read, , the new members walked up the stage to receive their certificate. The students participate in activities in and outside of school. Many of the inductees are a part of sport teams, like soccer and lacrosse, as well as clubs, like the Animal Welfare Club and Key Club, at Long Reach.

After each member was called, there was another candle lighting. The new inductees each had a candle of their own. It was then passed from the current members to the new members. The new members also said their pledge to the National Honor Society.

Before the reception, Mr. Wasilewski, the principal, gave the closing remarks and mentioned how proud he is of the new inductees.

Ms. Schneider and Ms. Dungey both worked hard to put together the induction ceremony. Ms. Schneider said, “We teach the new inductees how to process in and go through the program with them.” In addition, they also have to ensure that everyone else who is involved knows their role in the ceremony.

For example, they have to make sure that current members know their responsibilities. Some handed out programs and others brought food for the reception. As for the food, certain regions of the world were chosen by the members to purchase from.  Each group chose a different region, so there was a variety, and it represents the diversity.

After the ceremony, the excitement on the faces of students was evident.

A new member of National Honor Society, Junior Ariana Armendariz, said, “I am excited and honored to be apart of National Honor Society and I look forward to serving my community [in] various ways.”

Family members could be seen taking pictures and congratulating their kids.

A delighted parent said, “As a mom, I think this is a very proud moment, not only for my daughter but seeing the kids up there[…]and seeing how much they want to succeed and make the best out of their skills and ability.”

Another proud parent said, “I thought the presentation was really nice and I enjoyed learning about the history of the National Honor Society and a little about the 81 kids that got inducted. It was just a beautiful ceremony.”

There were also parents who got to experience the same night. A parent stated, “Tonight was a special night[…]It was most special for me because I was inducted when I was a junior in high school.”

This year, the amount of students being inducted was more than the previous year. The students not only represent themselves, but also the school. “I think Long Reach has a lot to be proud of because of a really good group of young adults and they represent the school wonderfully,” said a parent.

The new inductees will serve as role models for the Long Reach community along with the current members and they will be able to guide their peers.